Democrat Scott Colom is projected to defeat Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race, a victory that would make him the state’s first Black senator elected since Reconstruction. (Foto: Instagram)
Democrat Scott Colom, 43, defeated Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who was seeking reelection, in Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race, according to projections by American news outlets. The projected victory, reported Wednesday, Nov. 11, would give Colom a historic seat.
Colom is set to become the first Black senator elected by Mississippi since the Reconstruction era, which followed the Civil War. The state is a traditional Republican stronghold and one of the most conservative in the country. The last Black politician to represent Mississippi in the Senate was Blanche K. Bruce, who was elected in 1874 and served from 1875 to 1881. Bruce was born into slavery.
Born in Columbus, Mississippi, Colom built his career in the state’s judicial system. In 2015, at age 32, he defeated Forrest Allgood, who had held the position for 27 years, and became the first Black man elected to lead the prosecutor’s office in the 16th Judicial District, which covers four counties. Before his Senate victory, Colom had also served as a judge and prosecutor.
During his career, Colom supported changes to the criminal justice system that emphasized accountability for violent offenders and rehabilitation for people convicted of nonviolent crimes. In 2022, then-President Joe Biden nominated him for a federal judgeship in Mississippi, but Hyde-Smith blocked the nomination. She was Colom’s opponent in this year’s Senate contest.
On the campaign trail, Colom focused on economic issues, including the cost of living, rising prices and access to health care. His proposals included raising the federal minimum wage and protecting rural hospitals. He also criticized Hyde-Smith’s close relationship with President Donald Trump and sought to broaden his support among Black, young and moderate voters. Colom’s projected win would end a 44-year stretch without a Democratic Senate election victory in Mississippi; the party last won one in 1982.
